Method of burning gas.



W. K. TWOMEY.

METHOD OF BURNING GAS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 12. 1914.

1,167,447, Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

STATES WILLIAM K. TWOMEY,

0F CH IGAGO, ILLINOIS.

METHOD OF BURNING GAS.

Specification of Letters Batent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

. Application filed December 12. 1914. Serial No. 876.998.

To all Ir/1.0m. "it m (1 on ern 1 Be it known that l. \l'inL-Lvn' K.'l\vo.\Ii-;Y, a citizen of the l nited States, residing at Chicago. inthe countyof Cook and Stateof lllinois,-'liavo invented certain new anduseful Improvements in '.\lethod s oi Buruing ('ias, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention pertains to an improved method or process of burning gasin such a manner as to secure complete combustion, the productsresulting from such combustion being practically odorless and possessingadvantageous sterilizing characteristics.

In carrying out the invention in the preferred manner, tho gas,initially mixed with air, is burned in a. primary. burner, from whichthe unburned portions and the products of thecon'rhl'istion are brokenup or subdivided. mixed with more air, heated and confined, to controlor steady an otherwise possibly variable. pressure. lhennixtnre isburned a second time. and the resulting products are subjected tofurther mixing and heating, and thento a mechanical subdivision, beingat the same time additionally heated. The gases may or may not beallowed to burn again at this tin'ie, possibly spasuiodically orintermittently, before they are again assembled, mixed, heated, andfinally burned. That is to say, the mixture of gas and air is burnedsuccessively three, and. possibly four, times, with such intern'iediate.treatment as to heating, mixing, subdividing. &e., between thecombustions as will result in the eventually complete gaseouscombustion.

A burner working on the principle of this invention may be used for thevarious pi. rposcs for which heating gas hurners are ordinarily employed. In order, however, that a. full understanding of the invention maybe had, I have, in the accompanying drawing, illustrated a burner forroomheating, capable of carrying on the gas combustion in accordancewith the principles of this improved method or process.

In this drawing, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the burnerstructure: and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, vertical section on line. 2-2of Fig. 1, the parts being viewed in the. direction indicated bythe-arrows.

Referring to the. drawing, it will be. observed that the initiatorprimary burner 9, voricim on the Bunsenbnrner principle, is suppliedwith mixed gas and airthrougli the pipes 10 and 11 in the usual manner,the gas. in passing from the one to the other, entraining a properamount of air. The multiple bnrncr is supported on legs or feet 1;.which carr v a pair of Lent bars or standards i l and ll. on which ismounted a cenlrallv-aperturcd metallic-plate 15, through the hole ofwhich the vertical inner end of the bent pip it extends, being providedat its top with the burner 9.

hollow. rectangular. preterablyeastmetal.control-box ll' rests on theplate 15, and centrally receives the burner 9. As is illustrated. thetop and bottom of the box proper are open. but when in position, asshown. the. bottom is covered by the centrall vaperiured part of plate1:), and the top is equipped with a cover plate 17, which rests upon andis spaced away from the. upper edges of the box by means of shortsupporting lugs 13, lb. rising from the top edges of the box sides.

.-\u openliottom. rectangular casing 19, with a longitrulinal.horizontal corner burner-opening '30, rests on plate 15 and snugly litsover the sides of the control box 16. being materially longer'than thebox, as shown in Fig. '2. Above the cover or plate 1?. casing 19, isequipped with a horixontal grid or grille 21, made of crossinglongitiulinal and transverse rods or wires, as shown. This arrangementof parts pro vides a chamber!) above the grid or apertured screen. and acompartment 23 below it, arronnnodating burner-9 and its associatedsurrounding control-box 1G.

The entire structure is covered with an open-trout shell or housing 2t,and is supplied with an inclined wall 25, which, if desired, may becovered with asbestos or similar material, against which the final flameat the jet-opening 20 may play. This shield prevents air currents fromunduly affecting the flame.

The method of burning the gas in this ap pliance. is substantially asfollows: The mixture of gas and air passing in pipe 11 is burned at thefirst or primary burner 9 in the usual manner, atmospheric air enteringthe control box 16 througlrthe admission aperture in plate 1:3,supplying the fuel with the. needed oxygen of combustion, that issupplementing that already mixed with the gas. The control box 16 ispreferably sufficiently small so that the flames fromthe burner 9 playor impinge directly against its inner surfaces. The box, being thusrelatively small, also regulates or steadies the gas pressure andprevents fluctuations, not only in the pressure, but also of the flamesoutside of the box. The volume of this box such that the gas istemporarily retained therein, resulting in its subjection to a high tureburns in the chamber or compartment 23, and owing to the circulation-andswirling of the gases therein, a further intermixture of the ingredientsis brought about. The grid 21 acts to retard the passage of the mixtureand to retain it temporarily in the chamber 23, so that it is subjectedadditionally to the heat of the box 16 and to the fiamis in the chamber.This chamber 23, being somewhat larger than the box 16, permits themixture to expand, and, of course, during such expansion it is held at ahigh temperature, in this way assisting the preparation of the mixturefor further combustion.

The mixture, as it passes through the grid, is subdivided into a largenumber of jets, each ofwhich is subjected to the heat of the grid} whichcontacts with most of the gas .particles and causes a disassociation ofsome and thelighter gases may or maynot burn above'such grille orscreen. If they burn, the combustion is ordinarily more or lossfluctuating and intermittent. The chamber 22, as has been indicated,permits the further intermixture of the uniting jets and prepares thegaseous mixture forthe final combustion or tmrning, which occurs at thejet-opening or slot "20, such flame rccciving additional oxy en for thecarrying on of the combustion from thc.cxtcrn:.1l atmosphere.

Presenting the matter somewhat differently, the mixture of gas and airis burned successively three or four timcs, being retarded in itspassage through the multiple burner so. as to be subjected to hcatingbetween the combustions, the mixture being also treated with respect topressure and the. inter-mixture of the ingredients so as torender'possible the successive burnings referred .to. -'..Owing to thetreatment to which the steady, receiving oxygen from the outer: air forpromoting combustion. The bacteria whiclrmay have been present aredestroyed, and the resulting products of combustion may be employed. ifdesired. fortheir steri living qualities.

The general principles of this improved and novel method and processhave been indicated above, but the various steps in the process may bechanged more or less and still retain all of the essential and vitalfeatures of the method. Consequently, the claims appended hereto shouldreceive a liberal interpretation, in view of the novelty and variousfeatures of-improvement present in the process.

\Vhile I have herein described the burner as being provided with ahollow rectangular cast-metal control-box, it is to be understood thatthe shape of such box is largely imma terial and that its form may bevaried within wide limits. For example, it might be round 'or ofhexagonal or other shape.

2. The method, of burning, gas in successive combustions. and hcatingtheingredients ot' the mixture betwccn the successive combustions andwithout the addition ol air, substantially-as described.

3. The method of burninggas'i'n a plurality ot' succcssivc courbustions.and heating and commiliglin; thc ingrcdicnts of the mixture bctwccn thesuccessive combustions without thc addition of air. substantially as andthen again burning thc mixture without the addition of air, scribed. Y

".lhc mctliod of burning gas. consisting in burning a mixture of gas amlair, subdi riding the products ofcombustion and the unburned parts ofthe mixture into small portions, rcasscmbling or collecting suchproducts and parts into a main body without the addition of aiwthcrebycll'cctinga better intcrmixturci' and "burning such body, substautiallyas dcscribed.

(S. The method of burning gas, consisting in burning a mixture of gasand air, subdividing and simultaneously heating the prod:

substantially as denets of cdmhustion and the unburned parts .of themixture, reassembling or collecting such products and parts in a mainbody without the addition of air. thereby effecting their betterintermixture. and burning such body, substantially as described.

7. The method of burning gas, consisting in burning a mixture of gas andair, restraining and heating the products of combustion and the unburnedportions of the mixture to steady or equalize the pressure, and againburning the mixture without the addition of air, substantially asdescribed.

8. The method of burning gas. consisting in burning a mixture of gas andair, restraining and heating the products of combustion and the unburnedportions of the mixture and at the same time securing their betterintermixture by playing the flames against a surface, and then againburning the mixture without the addition of air, substantially asdescribed.

9. The method of burning gas, consisting in burning a mixture of gas andair, restraining and heating the products of combustion and the unburnedportions of the mixture, again burning the mixture, then additionallyrestraining and heating the mixture, permitting the gases by theirswirling action to become better incorporated one with the other andwithout the addition of air, and then again burning the mixture,substantially as described.

10. The method of burning gas,'consisting in burning a mixture of gasand air, restraining and heating the products of such combustion and theunburned portions of the mixture. again burning such mixture, thenbreaking up the mixture into small portions and simultaneously heatingsuch parts, then collecting su'ch portions into a ,maili body withoutthe addition of air, and burning such body, substantially as described.

11. The method of burning gas, consisting in burning a mixture ofgas andair, restraining andheating the products ofsuch combustion and theunburned portions of the mixture, and at the same time creating a b=tter intermixture of the ingredients by phiying the flames against asurface, then burning such mixtur without the addition of air, thendividing the mixture into small portions and simultaneously heating suchportions, then collecting such portions into a main body, and finallyburning such body, substantially as described.

12. The method of burning gas, consisting in burning a mixture ol gasand air, restraining and heating the products of combustion and theunburned portions of the mixture. and at the same time creating a betterintermixture of the ingredients by playing the flames of such combustionagainst a surface, again burning the mixture without the addition ofair, restraining and heating the mixture and permitting the gases bytheir swirling action to become better incorporated with one another,dividing the mixture into small portions and simultaneously heating suchportions, then collecting such portions into a main body, and finallyburning such body,,substantially as described.

13. The method of burning a gaseous mixture consisting in burning themixture at a primary combustion, impeding the movements of s-tuchmixture, and burning such modified mixture without the addition of air.

14.. The method of burning a gaseous mixture consisting in burning themixture at a primary combustion, impeding the movements of and heatingsuch mixture, and burning such modified mixture without the addition ofair.

15. The method of burning a gaseous mixture consisting in providing aprimary combustion for the mixture and then burning themiodified mixturewithout the addition of air to such mixture.

16, The method of burning a gaseous mixture consisting in providing aprimary com= bastion for the mixture and then burning the modifiedmixture in a succession of combustions without the addition of airtosaid

